What is a deal sheet? Can players be signed after January transfer deadline day 2023

Following another dramatic month, the January transfer window is coming to a close and clubs across Europe will be scrambling to secure their players before tonight’s deadline.

Chelsea have had one of the busiest transfer windows, spending over £140m in the hope they can turn their season around quickly. The Blues have completed the signings of Benoit Badiashile, David Fofana, Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk, Andrey Santos, and Joao Felix (on loan) so far but with several hours left in the day, there is still plenty more to be done.

Newcastle are another who will hope to reap the rewards of their expenditure after signing former Everton man Anthony Gordon as well as 21-year-old Harrison Ashby from West Ham United for an undisclosed fee. However, with different deadline times across the continent, deals are very often left to the last minute to sort, with extensions potentially required.

Here is all you need to know about what a deal sheet is and when the transfer window closes...

When does the January transfer window close?

The January transfer window will close today, Tuesday 31 January 2023, and the Premier League and EFL deadline is 11pm GMT. The Scottish Premiership deadline time is 11.59pm GMT while the timings vary even more across the channel in Europe.

The Bundesliga has a deadline time of 5pm GMT, Serie A has until 7pm, La Liga will close at 11pm and Ligue 1 will close at 11.59pm this evening.

What is a deal sheet?

A deal sheet is what is used for a side to confirm an agreement has taken place in order to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documentation.

During the 2022 summer deadline - which also had a final time of 11pm - the deal sheet could not be used before 9pm and had to arrive fully completed before the 11pm deadline.

Once the sheet has arrived, the club then have an additional two hours (until 1am) to complete all the final and necessary paperwork.

Can clubs sign players after the deadline?

The deal sheet is the only way clubs are able to sign players after the 11pm deadline in the Premier League and EFL.

If an agreement has not been reached by this time or the deal sheet not fully completed and submitted, then the club and players must wait until the summer transfer window to strike any new deals. Players who are out of contract can be signed outside of the transfer window.

What are the deals still to go through?

Enzo Fernandez’s potential move to Chelsea is the deal most likely to go down to the wire today. The Blues are set to have one of the busiest days as the transfer window closes and will be hopeful of signing Benfica midfielder and World Cup winner Fernandez.

Graham Potter’s side have bid €120m (£105.6m) for Fernandez and if the deal is accepted, it would make the 22-year-old the British transfer record signing, eclipsing the £100m Manchester City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish.

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Matt Doherty is reportedly hopeful of securing a loan move with Atletico Madrid. The 31-year-old is set to face limited game time due to the arrival of fellow right wing-back Pedro Porro and the Irishman’s proposed move would be a straight loan until the end of the season, with no option or obligation to buy included in the deal.